How frusterating.  Here's the story.  It's getting cold around here, temps drop below freezing for the first time this season.  I take my car to work, turn it off at around quarter of 9... come back after work around 530, no go.  The car cranks and maybe gives me a pop-pop or two but thats it.  I get a couple backfires too.  I crank and crank until my battery dies.  SO, I come back saturday afternoon and jumb the car for an hour and a half and try to start in a few times in between.  Same thing, a little bit of start, a couple backfires, thats it.  I'm not out of fuel, because I added 5 gallons today.  I also added STP Water Remover and Fuel Injector cleaner as mechanics suggested this.  My fuel pump works because I relieved pressure and then tested it at the fuel rail.  I can also hear it in the on position.  The fuel filter is new too.  I have spark, I tested it at all the wires with another plug in the boot.  I tried to clear the engine of flooding by holding the accelerator down when cranking and I don't get any better results.  I reset the computer because I thought the knock sensor may have retarded my timing too much.  Still, no luck.  I get the exact same results of some explosions, some backfires, no start.  Any ideas?

Crank sensor, or DIS Module... :drinking:

I would suggest verifying the spark condition w/ a timing light.  If you do in fact have spark and good solid, constant spark on all wires then I would suspect the injectors.  Sounds alot like the reason I got my car for $1800 W/ a rebuilt 282 and racing clutch.  New injectors out of a 3800 Series II and I'm running like a stripped ass baboon.

I seem to recall another post a while back where the symtoms where identical and it ended up being the crank sensor like Idbeast suggested.  I say go with Jim's idea and replace that sensor.

It was like 15 degrees last night and i managed to finger out the bolt thats holding it in.  However, like I've read so many times in crank sensor posts, when I tried to take mine out... it broke. :evil:
I left it go for the night, I'm coming back today after work to wiggle the rest out.  Thanks everyone, I'll tell you if thats it.

Yup, my car had all the symptoms of a bad ICM and it was the injectors.  If you've got spark, you've got spark, but the only way to see if you have fuel is to pull the rail and watch the injectors spray.  Mine were even spraying, but not properly.  These car's make you earn the love, I tell ya.

No good guys.  I finally got the broken crank sensor out and installed the new one.  Bolted it in, connected the clip and... nothing.  Same problem.  I'll crank it and it'll be like pop-pop-pop-(nothing) and then ill stop and ill crank some more and ill get nothing-- next try is nothing and then the next try is some backfiring and the more nothing.  Look up top to see what I've done so far.  By the way, my fuel pump definately works, I depressurized it at the fuel rail and then turned the car again and I had pressure again.  AHHH-- I can't have my car sit in my office parking lot anymore!!! ITS TAUNTING ME!  PLEASE HELP

Sure sounds like timming chain to me. The only other might be flat cam lobe, but if was runing ok when up parked it, must be timing. :(
aktgp

i'm really not thinking it is the timing chain, only because somewhere else on this board said 9/10 times it isnt your timing chain-- maybe though-- how could i check?  or how could i check my injectors?

By the way when I'm cranking it (to no avail) I get a strong fuel smell under the hood.  Sometimes, when it worked, i would get the smell after driving hard.  Any help?

thanks alot PLEASE HELP

I don't think its your timing chain. It takes alot to break one. I replaced mine during a rebuild last year and its quit strong and they don't "break" from just sitiing there. Have you tried to scan the ECM and look for blown fuses on the pass side fender? Just a thought

Quote from: jheivBy the way, my fuel pump definately works, I depressurized it at the fuel rail and then turned the car again and I had pressure again.

You may have gotten some pressure out of the pump, but that doesn't necessarily mean you have enough pressure.  I'd get a gauge and get a reading at the schrader valve.  The pump may be on its last leg and not be putting out enough to start the car.

God I love the whole, "1-5 psi.  it squirts to the throttle body.  6-10 psi.  It'll hit the fender.  11-20 psi.  it hits the hood.  21-30 psi.  It squirts you in the eye.  31-40 psi.  It knocks you to the floor."   :oops:  Use that as your gauge.  Also, pressure and volume are 2 different animals.  Test it w/ a gauge Key on/engine off.  Should be ~38-42 psi.  Cranking it will be less, but should still be at least 32 or so.  It can run on less, but typically it'll jump out at you if something is wrong.  Sorry to say but the only way to check injectors is by pulling the plenum.  You can ohm them, should all be close to the same and around 12 ohms (IIRC), main thing is they should be close.  Sure you can check the two banks by not pulling the plenum, but that is just the average of all 3 injectors.  So if 1 is 3 ohms and the other is 21 then guess what?  By the by, I talk out of my ass most of the time, so I wouldn't listen to me.   :lol: HTH, just trying to help a brother out.  Please tell us if you got a timing light or not.  That's the best way to check for spark.  Watch the light if it's erattic as hell, then you have a bad coil.  Two of those, and you won't run.  Good luck. :twocents:

In most of the country its cold right now.

When is the last time you checked the plugs? Personally I would pull the plugs, see if they are gas soaked, clean them off or replace them and see if it will start. I've seen it happen where the car will crank, sound like its starting and make really odd backfiring sounds and even smoke sometimes, after it had been running earlier that day, because the plugs are fouled or over gapped.

Mine did this exact same thing. Want to know what it was??? The fuel injector fuses under the cover on the pass side had stuff on them and didnt allow a good contact. If you have driven through any puddles, slush, mess mud, or anything like that, check those fuses. Get new fuses, and slide them in and out a few times. I had good fuel pressure and everything, but they go to the injectors, so the injectors wouldnt work.

Wow. What the hell.  I went out and bought a new DIS module (225 bones may i add) and took the wrench time in... Went out and found a pep boys that had a 5.5 mm ratchet for the coil packs... bolted it back on... and no go.  It sounds a hell of a lot better now, with the new DIS module and crank sensor, but it sounds like only 4 or 5 cylinders are firing, you know how it sounds when you are cranking, and its starting but not enough to self sustain?  Thats what i get.  AHHH this is driving me nuts... Its been a week an a half at my work, sitting, alone, TAUNTING ME!  Please Help